like RDAs, the estimated amount of nutrients will meet 97-98% of an individual's daily nutrient requirements, but is established when there is not enough evidence-based research to establish an RDA or EAR

provide recommendations for protein, fat, and carb consumption, expressed as a percent of total calorie needs

Daily Values (DVs)

dietary reference values that are used on food labels and represent the requirements of an "average" individual, unlike DRI, which have reference values that represent different age and gender categories

Trans fat

type of unhealthy dietary fat that is created when oils are partially hydrogenated; when found in food can promote heart disease

Gluten

type of protein found in the grains of wheat, rye, and barley that causes symptoms in adults and children with celiac disease; oats are often avoided

Celiac disease

genetic gastrointestinal disorder characterized by an immune response to gluten that damages gastrointestinal tract and leads to malabsorption

Nutrient-dense foods

foods high in vitamin and mineral content while relatively low in calorie content

Complementary foods

liquids, semisolids, and solids that are not breast milk or formula and are introduced to infants' diets in stages based on development

nutrition science

study of how foods provide nourishment to support growth, maintenance and repair

digestion

mechanical and chemical breakdown of foods into smaller nutrient components to make it available for absorption

digestive system

gateway for all nutrients into the body; made up of the gastrointestinal tract and other accessory organs that aid in digestion

gastrointestinal tract

mouth, esophagus, stomach, small and large intestines, part of body where foods are digested and changed into nutrients in anticipation of being absorbed.

dysphagia

disorder characterized by inability to swallow foods or liquids easily

aspiration

occurs when food or liquids get into lungs instead of into stomach

gastroesophageal reflux

reflux of stomach contents into esophagus

gastroesophageal reflux diseas (GERD)

severe reflux of stomach contents into the esophagus that causes pain, heartburn, indigestion, and when associated with excess vomiting, can result in poor growth in young children

absorption

transport of nutrients from the small intestine into the circulatory system

villi

located on surface of folds of the small intestine; is where absorption takes place

microvilli

located on surface of the villi, further expanding the surface area to enhance absorption of nutrients

malabsorption

occurs when damage to the small intestine's lining results in difficulty absorbing nutrients, leading to diarrhea and sometimes weight loss

osteoporosis

condition that results in porous, weak bones that break easily

lactose intolerant

term used to define an individual who experiences gas, bloating, and diarrhea because of an inability to break down the lactose found in milk

calorie

a unit of measurement of the amount of energy that is released from food when it is metabolized by the body

basal metabolic rate

a measurement of the baseline calories individuals need to sustain life and maintain the body's functions such as breathing, pumping blood, and repairing cells

total energy expenditure

a measurement of the number of calories needed by individuals; includes the basal metabolic rate plus the calories used for physical activity and digestion and absorption of food

monosaccharides

these are the simplest type of sugar consisting of single sugar unites and include glucose, fructose, and galactose

disaccharides

these are sugars that contain two single sugar unites, which are bonded together. they include sucrose, lactose, and maltose

polysaccharides

complex carbohydrates that consist of multiple glucose sugars linked together in chains

also called starch

insoluble fiber

type of dietary fiber that does not dissolve in water

comes from structural components of plant cell walls and is found in wheat bran, rice bran, whole-wheat breads, etc.